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en-usCopyright 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/get-an-igf-2015-nominated-game-for-free-today-only/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/get-an-igf-2015-nominated-game-for-free-today-only/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/get-an-igf-2015-nominated-game-for-free-today-only/#commentsPRY, a finalist in Excellence in Narrative at the 2015 Independent Games Festival, is free today on the App Store. PRY is a hybrid game, containing elements of film, literature and gaming. It tells the story of a Gulf War demolitions expert, allowing players to dive into his thoughts and explore his past, present and subconscious with the flicking or pinching of fingers.

The free day is in celebration of the IGF nod, PRY's feature on FWA as Mobile of the Day, and the game's release on iPhone. PRY is broken into two parts; the first installment was previously out for iPad at $3. Once part two launches in March, the full-game price will go up slightly - but those who buy part one before March will receive the second half as a free update. PRY comes from two-person art collective and development studio Tender Claws, which focuses on the intersection of writing, art and technology.

"Nomination by IGF is already an incredible validation," Tender Claws co-founder Samantha Gorman tells Joystiq. "We are a small team of two people who have looked up to and been inspired by current and past IGF nominees. It's so nice to know that our interventions in this space of storytelling are being seen and considered. Of course an IGF award would mean a great deal going forward. It would further give us license to establish our studio and continue to push the bounds of narrative in gameplay."

The 2015 IGF awards will be held on Wednesday, March 4, during GDC in San Francisco.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>experimentalfreeigfigf-2015IndieiosipadiphonemobilePRYtender-clawsWed, 14 Jan 2015 14:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/igf-2015-finalists-the-talos-principle-80-days-invisible-inc/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/igf-2015-finalists-the-talos-principle-80-days-invisible-inc/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/igf-2015-finalists-the-talos-principle-80-days-invisible-inc/#comments
Finalists for the $30,000 Seumas McNally Grand Prize at the 17th annual Independent Games Festival awards are Klei Entertainment's Invisible Inc., Croteam's The Talos Principle, Inkle Studios' 80 Days, Patrick Smith's Metamorphabet, 11 Bit Studio's This War of Mine and Team Outer Wilds' Outer Wilds. These games make appearances across other categories - Exellence in Visual Art, Narrative, Design, Audio and the Nuovo Award for unconventional game development - as well.

Other games up for awards from the IGF are Lumino City, Else Heart.Break(), Pry, Three Fourths Home, Framed, Killer Queen, Shovel Knight, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, The Sailor's Dream, Desert Golfing, Elegy for a Dead World, Bounden and more, listed in full on the IGF website. The IGF jury nominated more than 30 games from a judging pool of almost 650.

The IGF awards are held during GDC, alongside the Game Developers Choice Awards, on Wednesday, March 4 in San Francisco. Congrats to all the finalists!

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsandroidgdc-2015igfigf-2015Indieiosipadiphonemacmicrosoftmobilenintendopcplaystationps3ps4wii-uxboxxbox-oneWed, 07 Jan 2015 12:35:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/06/igf-2015-now-accepting-submissions/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/06/igf-2015-now-accepting-submissions/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/06/igf-2015-now-accepting-submissions/#comments
Indie developers, it's time to start applying the final coat of polish to your star projects. The Independent Games Festival is now accepting submissions for its 2015 event, giving eligible devs the chance to compete across multiple featured categories.

IGF entrants compete for over $50,000 in prizes and awards for Excellence in Visual Art, Audio, Design, and Narrative. Finalists will be eligible for the event's prestigious Seumas McNally Grand Prize, which in previous years was awarded to indie standouts like Cart Life, Fez, and Papers, Please.

Developers must pay a $95 entry fee to be considered for this year's IGF Awards. IGF Main Competition entries are due by October 22. Finalists will be announced on January 6, 2015.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>igfigf-2015independent-games-festivalindiepcWed, 06 Aug 2014 18:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/06/devolver-humble-bundle-has-games-films-supports-brandon-boyer/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/06/devolver-humble-bundle-has-games-films-supports-brandon-boyer/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/06/devolver-humble-bundle-has-games-films-supports-brandon-boyer/#comments
The Devolver Digital Double Debut bundle offers a mix of screen-based activities - five games and five movies - now through March 16. It's hosted by Humble Bundle, so some items are available for whatever price you want, and others unlock if you pay more than a certain amount, this time $10.

Available for any price are the games Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition and Shadow Warrior Classic Redux, plus the movies Austin High, The Poisoning and One Couch at a Time. Pay more than $10 to also snag the games Defense Technica, Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure and Cosmic DJ, and the films MARS and Good Game. This bundle marks the debuts of Cosmic DJ and Good Game.

Cosmic DJ is a music-creation game designed for everyone to pick up and play, regardless of musical competence, and it's available now DRM-free on PC and Mac. Purchase will include a Steam key once the game launches there. Good Game is an independent documentary from Nine Hour Films that chronicles a year on the premiere pro gaming team, Evil Geniuses.

Payments are distributed among Humble, the developers and charity, and this time the charity hits close to home for many developers. Proceeds from the bundle can go to the Brandon Boyer Cancer Treatment Relief gofundme campaign - Boyer is chairman of the Independent Games Festival and founder of game culture site Venus Patrol.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brandon-boyerdevolver-digitalhumble-bundleigfmacpcvenus-patrolThu, 06 Mar 2014 19:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/22/independent-games-festival-reveals-2014-student-showcase-winners/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/22/independent-games-festival-reveals-2014-student-showcase-winners/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/22/independent-games-festival-reveals-2014-student-showcase-winners/#comments
Independent Games Festival organizers have revealed the winners of this year's IGF Student Showcase category, honoring entries from the NHTV University of Applied Science, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of Cambridge, among other institutions.

This year's IGF saw a record-breaking number of entries, including 346 projects developed by students. The IGF's Main Competition finalists were announced earlier this month, nominating indie standouts like The Stanley Parable, Device 6, and Papers, Please.

Published by Adult Swim Games, Jazzpunk promises a unique tale set in an alternate Cold War universe, with spoof-styled humor inspired by Zucker brothers films like Airplane! and The Naked Gun. Jazzpunk was recently named as a Seumas McNally Grand Prize finalist in this year's Independent Games Festival, competing against the likes of acclaimed indie standouts like The Stanley Parable, Device 6, and Papers, Please.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adult-swim-gamesigfindiejazzpunkmacnecrophone-gamespcSat, 11 Jan 2014 07:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/07/igf-2014-finalists-device-6-papers-please-dont-starve-the/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/07/igf-2014-finalists-device-6-papers-please-dont-starve-the/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/07/igf-2014-finalists-device-6-papers-please-dont-starve-the/#comments
Finalists in the Independent Games Festival for 2014 have been announced, running the gamut of creativity and novelty that characterizes the indie games scene. This year in particular saw a record number of student submissions.

Simogo's Device 6 - one of our favorite games of 2013 - is up for an award in Excellence in Visual Art, on top of Excellence in Narrative and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize. Lucus Pope's Papers, Please is up for a bunch of awards too, including the Nuovo award as well as Excellence in Design and the Grand Prize.

This year's grand prize looks to be a heated competition between Papers, Please, The Stanley Parable, Don't Starve, Device 6, Jazzpunk and - deep breath - Dominique Pamplemousse in "It's All Over Once the Fat Lady Sings!" Winners for each category will be chosen on March 19, at this year's Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.

For the full list of this year's nominees, along with each category's jury-selected honorable mentions, head past the break.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddevice-6gdc-2014igfigf-2014iosipadiphonemacmobilepcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3ps4vitaTue, 07 Jan 2014 19:15:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/24/igf-2014-is-like-super-popular/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/24/igf-2014-is-like-super-popular/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/24/igf-2014-is-like-super-popular/#comments
People are really into this whole "video game" thing - the annual Independent Games Festival has once again received a record number of entries, this year with 656 Main Competition contestants, topping last year's record of 589.

Games in the running for an IGF 2014 award include Dejobaan's Drop That Beat Like an Ugly Baby, Vlambeer's Nuclear Throne, Blendo Games' Quadrilateral Cowboy (shown above), Ico-inspired Against the Wall, Vagabond Dog's Always Sometimes Monsters, thechineseroom's Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, first-person toddler-horror simulator Among the Sleep and The Banner Saga, the $700,000 Kickstarted RPG. Plus 648 more. Whew.

This year there will be six finalists per category, rather than five, and the Technical Excellence category is kaput. The Student Showcase and Nuovo Award will both remain at eight contestants, and each category will still see honorable mentions. Valve once again offers Steam deals to all IGF finalists.

Last year, minimalist food vendor saga Cart Lifeswept the top prizes. The IGF Awards take place as usual at GDC in San Francisco in March.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>igfigf-2014IndieThu, 24 Oct 2013 16:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/12/valve-renews-igf-deal-finalists-to-be-offered-steam-distributio/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/12/valve-renews-igf-deal-finalists-to-be-offered-steam-distributio/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/12/valve-renews-igf-deal-finalists-to-be-offered-steam-distributio/#comments
Valve will offer Independent Game Festival finalists the chance to bring their games to Steam, renewing the agreement set in place last year. As the IGF announcement notes, several of last year's finalists came to Valve's portal after being nominated, including Gone Home, MirrorMoon EP, and Kentucky Route Zero. The award is no doubt illustrious, but a Steam distribution agreement is a big deal, too.

Fine print time: The offer applies to every Main Competition finalist in jury-voted categories. That means each finalist for the Seamus McNally Grand Prize, the Nuovo Award, and the Excellence in Art, Narrative, Audio, and Design Awards can have a bite of the Steam pie, working directly with Valve to release their games on PC, Mac, and Linux.

The deadline for IGF 2014 submissions is October 19, while entries for the student showcase are due by October 31. The finalists will be announced in January, and two months later the winners will be crowned at GDC 2014.

The removal of the Technical Excellence category stands as this year's most significant change. Boyer says the decision stems from the "rise of widespread, affordable middleware [that] has, if not leveled the playing field, then at least given many equal footing from which to begin."

Additionally, the previous minimum number of five finalists in a category has been bumped up to six. The Student Showcase and Nuovo Award (which rewards innovation) will remain at eight finalists, however, and honorable mentions will still be named for each award. Last year's decision to restrict IGF finalists from re-submitting the same project to future festivals also remains in place.

Boyer asks that any questions concerning these changes be directed to "chairman [at] igf [dot] com." Submissions for IGF 2014 will be accepted until October 19 for the Main Competition and until October 31 for the Student Competition.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brandon-boyerigfindependent-games-festivalSun, 11 Aug 2013 15:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/08/independent-games-festival-2014-now-accepting-submissions/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/08/independent-games-festival-2014-now-accepting-submissions/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/08/independent-games-festival-2014-now-accepting-submissions/#comments
The 16th annual Independent Games Festival is now accepting submissions from indie developers. Those looking to enter the competition must enter by October 19. Entries for the student showcase are due October 31.

IGF nominees compete for roughly $60,000 in prizes across a number of categories, including Excellence in Visual Art, Audio, Design, and Narrative Awards. Becoming an IGF finalist may not guarantee success, though finalists' games will be playable at GDC 2014 in San Francisco.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>igfigf-2014independent-games-festivalindependent-games-festival-2014submissionsThu, 08 Aug 2013 16:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/08/psa-igf-finalist-7-grand-steps-now-available/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/08/psa-igf-finalist-7-grand-steps-now-available/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/08/psa-igf-finalist-7-grand-steps-now-available/#comments
Independent Games Festival Nuovo award finalist 7 Grand Steps is now available for PC and Mac through both Steam and the developer's official website. Purchasing the game through Steam will net you a sweet 10-percent discount off the game's full price of $14.99 (provided you buy before June 14), whereas buying directly from Mousechief gets you a free digital copy of 7 Grand Steps' soundtrack.

A free demo is also available, should the prospect of a multi-generational, lineage-based strategy game not instantly sound like the coolest.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7-grand-stepsIGFmacmousechiefpcPSAsteamSat, 08 Jun 2013 21:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/igf-finalist-7-grand-steps-premieres-for-pc-june-7/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/igf-finalist-7-grand-steps-premieres-for-pc-june-7/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/igf-finalist-7-grand-steps-premieres-for-pc-june-7/#commentsDangerous High School Girls in Trouble! developer Mousechief announced that its Independent Games Festival Nuovo award finalist title 7 Grand Steps is set for release on June 7 for Windows and Mac.

7 Grand Steps is a board game-like strategy game in which players guide a family through multiple generations, tracing the roots of western civilization along the way. Depending on the choices players make, future generations may produce laborers, kings, or adventurers. Competing families battle for resources during each era, however, and players must plan carefully in order to advance their family's bloodline.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7-grand-stepsdangerous-high-school-girls-in-troubleigfmacmousechiefpcstrategywindowsFri, 24 May 2013 23:59:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/igf-design-nominee-starseed-pilgrim-lands-on-steam-on-april-16/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/igf-design-nominee-starseed-pilgrim-lands-on-steam-on-april-16/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/igf-design-nominee-starseed-pilgrim-lands-on-steam-on-april-16/#commentsStarseed Pilgrim is preparing to colonize Steam on April 16 for PC, Mac and Linux, following its IGF 2013 nomination in Excellence in Design, developer Droqen tells Joystiq. All nominees in the IGF this year snagged some sweet Steam distribution deals: if Steam is Plymouth Rock, Starseed Pilgrim is one of the founding pioneers. Just imagine Thanksgiving.

Starseed Pilgrim has players tend the symphonic garden of the universe. Or, less poetically, it's a platformer built on a blank slate that players make their own, building bridges, destroying pathways and "embracing fate," as Droqen describes it. When Starseed Pilgrim launches on Steam, it will be at a 25 percent discount, but it's available to purchase now for $6 from its official site.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>droqenigfigf-2013Indiemacpcrelease-datestarseed-pilgrimSTEAMMon, 08 Apr 2013 20:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/29/trespassing-at-the-igf-awards-cart-life-dev-directly-after-his/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/29/trespassing-at-the-igf-awards-cart-life-dev-directly-after-his/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/29/trespassing-at-the-igf-awards-cart-life-dev-directly-after-his/#commentsHalf an hour after winning three IGF awards, including the $30,000 Seumas McNally Grand Prize, Cart Life developer Richard Hofmeier stepped backstage, stripped off his suspenders and over-the-shoulder gun holster, and said he wished his game would drop dead.

"I want it to die, frankly," Hofmeier told Joystiq. "I can't wait for it to die. People keep resuscitating it."

Don't get it wrong - Hofmeier was cripplingly humbled by the praise from the IGF, but he wasn't convinced he deserved any of it. After a big win, passionate creators usually speak of the post-awards high, of feeling unreservedly ecstatic. After picking up the IGF's grand prize, Hofmeier rode a different wave.

"Highs and lows I guess," Hofmeier said. "I had high opinions of the other nominees and I kind of want to share this with them. I feel like I've already overstayed my welcome with this game and I'd like it if maybe some of this esteem and elevation could go to some games that deserve it more. I already got so much more out of this game than I ever thought I would. I thought it would just be my friends and me playing this thing. The other games are so well-made."

Hofmeier hit up Porpentine on Twitter on Thursday morning, to kindly request he show Howling Dogs at his "booth thing." Oh, you know, just that booth for the awards that Cart Lifetotally swept last night. No big deal. Porpentine responded in the affirmative, and Hofmeier got to work tagging his own sign.

"IM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT HOWLING DOGS WINNING THE IGF," Porpentine later tweeted. For those at GDC, check out Howling Dogs in the IGF booth roundup in Moscone South. You can't miss it. Everyone else, play it here.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cart-lifeGDCGDC-2013howling-dogsigfigf-2013pcporpentinerichard-hofmeierThu, 28 Mar 2013 17:45:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/lovers-in-a-dangerous-spacetime-preview-dont-die-alone/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/lovers-in-a-dangerous-spacetime-preview-dont-die-alone/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/lovers-in-a-dangerous-spacetime-preview-dont-die-alone/#comments"Death may be a given, but at least you don't have to face it alone!"

Despite the deeply morbid implications behind that statement from Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime's description blurb, it perfectly belies the beauty of the game, an adorable neon micro-platformer about rescuing cuddly creatures from bad robots, shooting lasers at metallic jellyfish while flying through space, and dying alongside your partner after all of these ridiculous, futile trials.

Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime looks too cute to be depressing, but in the end, the gameplay is simply a mad rush to delay the inevitable. I played a co-op round with a new friend in GDC's IGF booth, and together we attempted to save planets of birds and rabbits from a hostile robot invasion, while fending off attacks on all sides of our circular spaceship.

The ship itself contains a mini platforming landscape, with myriad ladders and levels that the two lovers must navigate to operate the ship's weapons, its shield and the steering. With a controller, Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime uses two buttons and one analog stick for all of its mechanics: One player jumps into the cockpit and steers the ship by sliding a single thruster around its outer rim, and the other player runs around, operating the shield and one of five weapons systems, whether that be lasers, turrets or superlasers.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asteroid-baseGDCGDC-2013igfigf-2013lovers-in-a-dangerous-spacetimemacpcThu, 28 Mar 2013 00:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/27/igf-2013-and-the-awards-go-to-cart-life/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/27/igf-2013-and-the-awards-go-to-cart-life/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/27/igf-2013-and-the-awards-go-to-cart-life/#commentsThe 2013 IGF awards have wrapped up at GDC in San Francisco, with Richard Hofmeier and Cart Life taking home the Seumas McNally Grand Prize of $30,000, the Nuovo Award for innovation, which snags $5,000, and the Excellence in Narrative award for $3,000. Cart Life is a simulation game about the hard times facing food cart vendors in small-town, USA, and as demonstrated by the screenshot above, it's more dramatic than you may expect.

If you want to brag to your friends about playing the latest in hot indie games, you can pick it up on Steam now for a sale price of $3.50.

Subset Games' space-based strategy game FTL: Faster Than Light picked up two awards at IGF 2013, Excellence in Design and the Audience award. Kentucky Route Zero and Cardboard Computer grabbed the Excellence in Visual Art award, 140 got the Audio prize and Little Inferno is Technically Excellent, according to the IGF.

Check out the entire list of winners below. Congrats to all the winners!

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cart-lifeigfigf-2013igf-awardsiosipadiphonemobilenintendopcplaystationps3wii-uWed, 27 Mar 2013 22:15:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/21/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-back-to-bed/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/21/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-back-to-bed/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/21/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-back-to-bed/#commentsIndie developers are the starving artists of the video-game world, often brilliant and innovative, but also misunderstood, underfunded and more prone to writing free-form poetry on their LiveJournals. We believe they deserve a wider audience with the Joystiq Indie Pitch: This week, Klaus Petersen and Bedtime Gaming talk about artistic IGF student finalist Back to Bed. Check out the Kickstarter here.

What's your game called and what's it about?

Our game is called Back to Bed. It is a 3D puzzle platformer, wherein the player has to help a sleepwalker reach the safety of his bed by navigating him through a surreal and dreamlike environment.

How did you hear that Back to Bed was an IGF Student Showcase finalist and has that changed how you approach the game's development?

Well, we just read it on one of the game news sites, when the student showcase "winners" were announced, which of course caused celebration.

But yes, the IGF nomination changed alot of things. Besides giving the team a giant boost, it also gives us the great window of opportunity to show our game to a lot of people. It also builds up a little pressure, I guess. But it's just things like this that makes the long hours during crunch worthwhile.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>back-to-bedDADIUigfigf-2013igf-student-showcaseigf-student-showcase-2013iosipadjoystiq-indie-pitchmacmobilepcThu, 21 Feb 2013 21:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/14/140-a-trippy-rhythm-platformer-from-limbos-puzzle-designer/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/14/140-a-trippy-rhythm-platformer-from-limbos-puzzle-designer/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/14/140-a-trippy-rhythm-platformer-from-limbos-puzzle-designer/#commentsThere are lots of things worth knowing about 140. For one, it's a side project created by Playdead's Jeppe Carlsen, whose previous work includes creating the puzzles for the excellent Limbo. You might also like to know that it's an IGF nominee. Finally, you should know that 140 is going to be at GDC next month, and we are all over it.

Those are good things to know, but what you need to do is watch the trailer right this very second.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>140igfigf-2013jeppe-carlsenpcThu, 14 Feb 2013 14:20:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/12/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-kentucky-route-zero/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/12/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-kentucky-route-zero/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/12/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-kentucky-route-zero/#commentsIndie developers are the starving artists of the video-game world, often brilliant and innovative, but also misunderstood, underfunded and more prone to writing free-form poetry on their LiveJournals. We believe they deserve a wider audience with the Joystiq Indie Pitch: This week, Jake Elliot and Tamas Kemenczy of Cardboard Computer discuss the mad horse race of artistic game development and IGF nominations withKentucky Route Zero.

What's your game called and what's it about?

Kentucky Route Zero is game about exploring a secret highway in Kentucky that runs through Mammoth Cave, and meeting the unusual characters who live and work there. We call it a "magical realist adventure game." Like most magical realist literature, it blends realism and fantasy pretty evenly. Like most adventure games, it's focused on story and characterization over tests of skill.

How did you find out about your IGF nods- including one for the Seumas McNally grand prize - and what was your reaction?

We released the game the same Monday morning that the IGF finalist announcements were made, with very little sleep the whole weekend prior, so it's kind of a blur! We're really honored to be in such fine company. Some of the other finalists - particularly Anna Anthropy's Dys4ia and Richard Hofmeier's Cart Life - have been our favorite games of the last year or two, so it's very meaningful for us to be placed alongside them in the IGF this year.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cardboard-computerigfigf-2013joystiq-indie-pitchkentucky-route-zeromacpcTue, 12 Feb 2013 21:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/12/kentucky-route-zeros-quasi-demo-limits-and-demonstrations-is/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/12/kentucky-route-zeros-quasi-demo-limits-and-demonstrations-is/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/12/kentucky-route-zeros-quasi-demo-limits-and-demonstrations-is/#commentsLimits and Demonstrations offers a brief, introspective glimpse into the anomaly of IGF finalistKentucky Route Zero, via a free download for Windows, Mac and Linux. Developer Cardboard Computer calls Limits and Demonstrations "not exactly a prequel but directly related to some upcoming stuff," along with ties to small details in Act 1 of Kentrucky Route Zero.

Limits and Demonstrations is a tour through an experimental museum, featuring work from fictional artist Lula Chamberlain, and demonstrating the more endearing aspects of Kentucky Route Zero's full game: namely the art style, dialogue and vague, psychological creep factor. Viewed as a demo, Cardboard Computer says that if Limits and Demonstrations runs on your PC or Mac, Kentucky Route Zero will too.

If you have 10 minutes or so to spare, download Limits and Demonstrations for free right here.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cardboard-computerDemoigfigf-2013Indiekentucky-route-zerolimits-and-demonstrationsmacpcprequelTue, 12 Feb 2013 18:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/08/igf-finalist-kentucky-route-zero-is-out-now-looks-out-of-this-w/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/08/igf-finalist-kentucky-route-zero-is-out-now-looks-out-of-this-w/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/08/igf-finalist-kentucky-route-zero-is-out-now-looks-out-of-this-w/#commentsThe first act of Kentucky Route Zero, finalist in this year's Independent Games Festival, is now available. Developed by Cardboard Computer, the adventure game tells the story of "a secret highway in the caves beneath Kentucky, and the mysterious folks who travel it." It's also very, very pretty.

The game will be split into five acts. The first act is available now on PC and Mac, while the remaining four will be released "over the next year or so." All five acts can be purchased as a bundle for $25, with players getting access to acts 2 through 5 as they become available. The bundle also includes soundtrack MP3s and a monthly newsletter. Act 1 can be purchased individually for $7. All downloads are DRM-free, and a Linux version should be coming soon.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cardboard-computerigfigf-2013kentucky-route-zeromacpcrelease-dateTue, 08 Jan 2013 15:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/06/valve-to-distribute-igf-finalists-on-steam-indies-rejoice/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/06/valve-to-distribute-igf-finalists-on-steam-indies-rejoice/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/06/valve-to-distribute-igf-finalists-on-steam-indies-rejoice/#commentsAll finalists of the Independent Games Festival main competition will receive an offer to distribute their games on Steam, working directly with Valve to get their games on PC, Mac and Linux.

The main competition includes the Seumas McNally Grand Prize, Excellence In Design, Excellence In Art, Excellence In Narrative, Technical Excellence, Excellence in Audio, and the Nuovo Award, which each come with their own prizes and perks. Each category has six finalists, except the Nuovo Award, which has eight. Finalists are announced in January.

Past IGF winners include Braid, Fez, Super Meat Boy and Minecraft - just imagine if those games had launched to great fanfare, for the first time, on Steam.

BRANDON We're adding a new category to this year's festival, 'Excellence in Narrative'.

He mumbles the next few paragraphs to himself, then aloud.

BRANDON

But as judging kicked off in early October, it was clear that there was something special about this year's lineup of games in particular that made the absence of a Narrative category especially conspicuous. And so, because so many of our judges have said there are so many games in this year's festival that they specifically want to recognize for their world and their story, we are giving them an avenue to do so.

A few more seconds of rapid typing go by, he finishes with flair. The PHONE RINGS, Brandon walks away.

CLOSE ON: Computer Screen. Near the bottom it reads "Adding this new Narrative category will mean that we'll be returning to the traditional five finalists per, along with honorable mentions, and the standard eight for Nuovo and Student Showcase. We hope you'll understand and appreciate the changes we've made, and will continue to make in coming years, as the both the landscape of independent development and the festival itself grows and evolves."

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>IGFIGF-2013independent-games-festival-2013microsoftpcxboxTue, 20 Nov 2012 09:40:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/04/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-humans-must-answer/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/04/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-humans-must-answer/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/04/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-humans-must-answer/#commentsIndie developers are the starving artists of the video-game world, often brilliant and innovative, but also misunderstood, underfunded and more prone to writing free-form poetry on their LiveJournals. This week, former GSC developer and co-founder of Sumom Games, Eugeny Yatsuk, talks space chickens and shmups with Humans Must Answer. The babies are Yatsuk, co-founder Denis Matveenko and artist Olexa, by Olexa.

What's your game called and what's it about?

Humans Must Answer. It's a shmup, and one most will recognize as having an old-school vibe about it. You play as the pilot of a scout ship called The Golden Eagle, which is manned by chickens - they like to think they're a higher species of bird than they are.

They're on the lookout for something (we're not saying quite yet) and discover it within the solar system that us humans inhabit. As it is set far into the future, humans have expanded to the other planets and set up a number of industries upon them. They also have a huge legion of robots operating for them around space. So the enemies you'll come across consist of robots and humans. Yes, humans are enemies - there are far too many plots about evil aliens when, in fact, humans are most likely more evil than anything we could fictionalize.

The chickens attempt to contact them in a friendly manner but the humans respond by firing at them, which isn't particularly nice. They live to regret it though because we let you, the player, go on an explosive rampage against the aggressors. There is a purpose behind it other than mere carnage though, but that doesn't appear until later in the game's narrative.

How does working on your own indie project compare to working on a larger series such as S.T.A.L.K.E.R.?

Very different. Faster decisions and far fewer constraints. It's a very good feeling to be the author and be responsible for all aspects of the game, and not just some cogs as part of a big company.

I know some guys who work on bigger projects and ownership of their creations boils down to things like, "I made that table and chair on Level 25." You start to fear for yourself when hearing this and want to avoid ever being in that situation. When I am 40 years old I'll look at what I have created in my life. I hope to be proud of it.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>greenlightgscGSC-Game-Worldhumans-must-answerigfigf-2013joystiq-indie-pitchpcsteam-greenlightsumom-gamesukraineSun, 04 Nov 2012 22:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/24/igf-2013-has-way-too-many-entries/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/24/igf-2013-has-way-too-many-entries/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/24/igf-2013-has-way-too-many-entries/#commentsThe 2013 edition of the Independent Games Festival Main Competition received a record number of submissions. 589 games are in the running for next year's prizes, versus a paltry 567 in 2012. To accommodate the massive influx of games, the Main Competition award categories will consider six finalists each, with the Nuovo Award featuring eight.

The Microsoft Studios prize first awarded this year to Super TIME Force, which gives a winning game a guaranteed publishing deal on Microsoft platforms, will be presented again in 2013.

You can start browsing all the entries here; perhaps you'll be done by the time finalists are announced in January.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>igfigf-2013indieWed, 24 Oct 2012 14:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/09/submissions-open-for-15th-annual-independent-games-festival/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/09/submissions-open-for-15th-annual-independent-games-festival/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/09/submissions-open-for-15th-annual-independent-games-festival/#commentsThe 2013 Independent Games Festival, held at GDC in San Francisco next March, is now accepting entries for the main and Student Showcase categories. The deadline for entries to the main competition is October 17 and the Student Showcase deadline is October 31, both at 11:59 p.m. PDT.

The main competition entry fee is $95, and applicants will be competing for more than $55,000 in prizes: the Seumas McNally Grand Prize of $30,000; Excellence in Visual Art, Audio, and Design, each competing for $3,000; Technical Excellence for $3,000; the Audience Award for $3,000 and the Nuovo Award for $5,000. Each category will have six finalists - except the Nuovo Award, which has eight - and will be announced in January.

Eight games chosen for the Student Showcase will be awarded $1,000 each, with one taking home the title of Best Student Game and an extra $3,000. There is no entry fee for the Student Showcase, though it does have its very own rule set.

IGF 2012 saw 850 entries, with Fezeventually taking home the Seumas McNally Grand Prize - Polytron's second IGF award following an Excellence in Art win in 2008. Alexander Bruce, IGF 2012 winner in Technical Excellence for Antichamber, shares some sage Twitter advice for those entering this year: "Suggestion: Take that IGF deadline as a great thing to work towards, submit the best thing you can, update often, and expect nothing from it."

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GDCGDC-2013igfigf-2013Indiemacmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxThu, 09 Aug 2012 13:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/whats-it-like-to-have-your-indie-game-stolen/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/whats-it-like-to-have-your-indie-game-stolen/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/whats-it-like-to-have-your-indie-game-stolen/#commentsNo journalist, friend or decent human being wants to ask that question, especially not to an 18-year-old first-time developer who recently saw success as a student finalist in IGF 2012. Unfortunately, today we asked Mattia Traverso that very thing about his game One and One Story,after the events unfolded live on his Twitter feed: Traverso alerted the community that One and One Story had been counterfieted with "THEY STOLE MY GAME" and a succession of five tweets that included seven capitalized f-bombs.

One and One Story hadn't been cloned or copied, but it was completely stolen -- code, graphics and all. The group that stole it implemented a few unused assets that were hidden in the game file, Traverso told Joystiq, and its version has completely broken animations and stretched graphics.

"It's kind of hilarious," Traverso said hours after his initial discovery. But when he first got the Google Alert and tracked down the stolen game to the App Store this morning, Traverso didn't find anything about the situation amusing.

"I panicked. I didn't know what to do, so I screamed on Twitter," he said.

His screaming didn't go unnoticed and it drew the attention of other indies, including Canabalt's Adam Saltsman. Saltsman instructed Traverso to fill out a DMCA takedown, and two hours after his discovery Traverso was able to breathe a little easier.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app-storeclonecopycopyrightcopyright-infringementDMCAigfigf-student-showcase-2012iosipadiphoneMattia-TraversoMaTXmobileOne-and-One-StorypcFri, 16 Mar 2012 21:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/fezes-are-cool-an-afternoon-with-phil-fish/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/fezes-are-cool-an-afternoon-with-phil-fish/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/fezes-are-cool-an-afternoon-with-phil-fish/#commentsAmidst the gridlocked, city-wide pandemonium that is SXSW Interactive, I was able to rescue Fez's lead designer and artist Phil Fish from a pack of ravenous, business-card waving fans long enough for an interview. We set up at the quiet end of the Palmer Events Center's glass-lined second floor, standing at a chest high, sidewalk cafe-esque table overlooking Zilker Park. It had been raining for two days straight, but that morning the clouds had parted and festival attendees were treated to one of the few gorgeous spring afternoons Texas will get this year.

Fez has missed its most recently announced release window of Q1 2012, but the fact that the game is undergoing Microsoft certification means that it'll be out relatively soon. "We almost made it to Q1," Fish said. "We entered certification like two weeks ago, but we actually just failed it, which is kinda standard. Pretty much everybody fails their first cert."

Microsoft has a two-month window in which it can release Fez once it has gone gold, and Fish wants to make sure it happens as quickly as possible. "We're trying to put pressure on them to release it as soon as possible because the zeitgeist is really good right now, with the movie starting to get a lot of play and the award. And, also, it's been five years. I don't want to wait another two months after that."

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FezIGFigf-2012indie-game-the-movieKickstarterLisanne-PajotmicrosoftPhil-FishPolytronpolytron-corporationsummer-of-arcadeSXSW-2012XBLAxboxTue, 13 Mar 2012 09:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/07/igf-nomination-doesnt-guarantee-success-says-solipskier-dev/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/07/igf-nomination-doesnt-guarantee-success-says-solipskier-dev/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/07/igf-nomination-doesnt-guarantee-success-says-solipskier-dev/#commentsMichael Boxleiter may not be a familiar name, but you've most likely played Solipskier -- at least we hope you have. Boxleiter was one of ten indie developers talking during The Indie Soapbox Session at GDC 2012, a freeform, large-group therapy session for indies to talk about what's on their mind.

Boxleiter vented on the Independent Games Festival -- getting into the IGF isn't indicative of becoming a successful developer, he warned. "I believed this myth of IGF makes you, IGF creates the future and makes you into a superstar," he said of the time he first got into game development, years ago. "It's not important -- at least, not very. It's a media junket for you." He says that hard work, putting in the hours every day and making sacrifices is what makes the best game possible.

"Nobody gives a shit about the IGF," he told a packed house of developers, enthusiasts and reporters alike. It wasn't a statement meant to hurt anyone's feelings, but rather curb expectations that getting into the IGF "makes you." Boxleiter would know, having been chosen for the IGF last year.

Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo aren't going to suddenly take interest in your project if you get into the IGF, he said.

One particular anecdote about Nintendo icon and legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto delighted the audience. Apparently, after Boxleiter's own game was nominated, he saw Miyamoto wandering the halls of GDC and approached the Nintendo legend with a pitch document. Miyamoto then promptly signed his John Hancock and walked away.

"The IGF should not be as big a deal as it is." While it gets you some press and it's "cool" to see the announcement, he said, in the end it's just an awards show. "It's just hard, hard work. And if you do it, you can all show that amazing thing you have inside you that you want to show to people. You're just going to have to work your ass off."

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdcgdc-2012igfigf-2012michael-boxleitermike-boxleitermikengregmikengreg-games-coSolipskierWed, 07 Mar 2012 19:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/igf-2012-audience-award-voting-now-open/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/igf-2012-audience-award-voting-now-open/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/igf-2012-audience-award-voting-now-open/#commentsDespite being into awards shows before they were cool, we're hoping you're not above voting for this year's Independent Game Festival "Audience Award." Voting has just kicked off for 2012's entrants, which comprise all finalist games across all IGF 2012 categories (yes, the list once again includes Fez).

Should you choose to cast your favor towards any particular game, you'll want to head to this particularly yellow form and fill things out before February 19. Once you've done as much, we're told a verification email will come through to make sure you're not an evil robot. If you are, in fact, not an evil robot, things should go swimmingly.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andy-schatzawardscliff-bleszinskiCliffyBgame-developers-choice-awardsGDCgdc-2012igfmacmicrosoftmobilemonacopcplaystationPocketwatch-Gamesps3xboxTue, 17 Jan 2012 15:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/competing-in-the-indie-world-is-fun-and-games-for-igf-entrant-za/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/competing-in-the-indie-world-is-fun-and-games-for-igf-entrant-za/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/competing-in-the-indie-world-is-fun-and-games-for-igf-entrant-za/#comments
Matthias Zarzecki was waiting anxiously for the IGF Student Showcase finalists to be announced on Sunday, Jan. 15, where his game, Unstoppaball, was an entrant. He had steeled himself to endure the five days between finalist announcements for the main competition and the student one by programming new games relentlessly; indie-developer therapy, he described it.

And then the Student Showcase finalists were announced on Friday, Jan. 13. Unstoppaball wasn't on the list, and Zarzecki could have let that pent-up anxiety and excitement explode in a livid email to the IGF for reporting incorrect announcement dates, or in a furious YouTube video calling on all developers to boycott the IGF -- but Zarzecki chose a different response.

"My reaction was something of a 'huh, those games are really good,'" Zarzecki told Joystiq. He was a one-man team and had absolutely no budget, so Zarzecki could see how, out of the 300 games submitted to the IGF student competition, he may have been out-performed. "In that way it is a little disappointing to see that I was probably beaten through factors that were outside my influence," he said.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>competitionigfigf-student-showcaseigf-student-showcase-2012IndieMatthias-ZarzeckiNuclear-WombatUnstoppaballFri, 13 Jan 2012 23:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/igf-finalists-smash-a-frozen-fez-to-the-moon-from-a-cave/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/igf-finalists-smash-a-frozen-fez-to-the-moon-from-a-cave/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/igf-finalists-smash-a-frozen-fez-to-the-moon-from-a-cave/#comments
The 14th annual Independent Game Festival finalists have been announced, and this year's finalists are indie-licious (yum). Titles include pop-indie hits Fez, Frozen Synapse, Spelunkyand Atom Zombie Smasher, as well as some of our own understated favorites, such as Freebird Games' To the Moon.

The winner of the Seumas McNally Grand Prize receives $30,000, the winner of the Nuovo Award for "abstract, shortform and unconventional game development" gets $5,000, and all other category winners receive $3,000. The awards will take place March 7 at GDC. Check out the entire list of finalists right here:

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>igfigf-2012independent-games-festivalindependent-games-festival-2012Indiemacmicrosoftmobilepcplaystationps3spelunkyxboxTue, 10 Jan 2012 15:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/igf-2012-entrants-have-a-crack-at-winning-the-first-ever-xbla-p/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/igf-2012-entrants-have-a-crack-at-winning-the-first-ever-xbla-p/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/igf-2012-entrants-have-a-crack-at-winning-the-first-ever-xbla-p/#comments
Independent Games Festival entrants aren't just charming, attractive, and creative -- they're also potential XBLA developers. At least they are now, after today's announcement of the first "XBLA Prize" by Microsoft and Game Developers Conference administrators UBM, which gives IGF entrants a crack at being fast-tracked on Xbox Live Arcade for publishing by Microsoft.

According to the prize sponsors, a "standalone jury of independent game creators" will apparently collaborate with Microsoft to "identify a shortlist" -- a list which will then be considered for the XBLA prize. If the winner so chooses, his/her project will then be offered funding for development across Xbox 360, Windows Phone 7, and Windows, as well as given the opportunity to employ Microsoft's bevy of testing, marketing, and usability support.

Alongside today's prize announcement, Microsoft head of first-party publishing Ted Woolsey also revealed that Microsoft invests upward of $20 million annually on XBLA titles, and offered support for the multi-year partnership with the IGF. "The independent development scene wouldn't be nearly as robust as it is today without the exposure provided by the IGF. We look forward to working with the IGF and having a window into to the huge array of independent games that are submitted every year so that we can continue to find the best games to share with our customers."

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>game-developers-conferencegame-developers-conference-2012gdcgdc-2012igfigf-2012independent-games-festivalindependent-games-festival-2012indie-gamesmicrosoftted-woolseyxblaxbla-prizexboxxbox-livexbox-live-arcadeMon, 05 Dec 2011 13:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/igf-chair-continues-campaign-against-game-cloning/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/igf-chair-continues-campaign-against-game-cloning/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/igf-chair-continues-campaign-against-game-cloning/#comments
Independent Games Festival chairman Brandon Boyer is quite unhappy with Gamenaut's iOS title Ninja Fishing, a game that's more than "inspired" by indie studio Vlambeer's Flash game Radical Fishing. Vlambeer was secretly in the process of porting the game to iOS when the studio was blindsided by the clone.

"I have a chart I'm almost done with. This is not inspiration," Boyer told us at GDC Europe today when he brought up the dilemma. "The things [Radical Fishing] doesn't have is ... Fruit Ninja. Radical Fishing didn't have Fruit Ninja. [Ninja Fishing] has everything else, except they added Fruit Ninja to one of the parts."

Boyer continued, "The progress, the structure, the power-ups. The mechanics, the three-part design. It's just Radical Fishing. I think most people in the indie circle haven't played Ninja Fishing, which is good, but I think because of that they don't quite understand how blatant it was. Once you lay it out side by side [a project that Boyer will publish soon on an excel sheet he showed us], it's like 'Oh yeah, they just 100 percent ripped that off.'"

When asked what the difference is between "inspiration" and theft, Boyer said, "It's like the thing about pornography, you know it when you see it."

If this type of blatant cloning sounds familiar, it's because it is. In February, the story of The Blocks Comeththeft made the rounds. Indies being ripped off by indies isn't the only type of iOS cloning going on, either. It can also happen with major publishers, as was the case with Capcom's MaXplosion, a blatant clone of Twisted Pixel's high-profile 'Splosion Man.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brandon-boyerGamenautsgdce-2011IGFmobileninja-fishingpcradical-fishingvlambeerMon, 15 Aug 2011 18:15:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/01/independent-games-festival-2012-accepting-submissions/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/01/independent-games-festival-2012-accepting-submissions/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/01/independent-games-festival-2012-accepting-submissions/#comments
Independent game makers: did you know there's, like, a whole festival for you? The Independent Games Festival isn't the "funnel cakes" type of festival, but rather the "widespread recognition and cash prizes" kind of festival.

If you'd like to participate in the annual pageantry, the IGF's organizers are now accepting submissions. If you're a student, the deadline for you to submit your world-changing (or just cute!) indie game is October 31; the deadline for the main competition is October 17.

Chances are, you'll like the changes being implemented this year. According to a letter posted by IGF chair Brandon Boyer, the judge and jury system, which includes "our 150-200 judges recommending games in certain categories, and discipline-specific juries of 8-10 subject matter experts assigned to each award," will be returning from last year. But the prizes for award winners chosen by those juries have changed. They're bigger.

If you win the Seumas McNally Grand Prize, you'll receive $30,000, with which you could certainly fund the development of a small game, or get part of the way through the title screen of the AAA shooter you've suddenly decided to make.

Unfortunately, if you weren't at GDC -- or aren't a resident of Winnipeg, Canada -- it's going to be a bit difficult to check out the game's two player co-op mode, housed inside of the wonderful and mysterious Winnitron 1000.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdcgdc-2011igfigf-pavillionmacpcseensuper-crate-boxvlambeerwinnitron-1000Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:40:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/live-from-the-igf-gdc-awards-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/live-from-the-igf-gdc-awards-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/live-from-the-igf-gdc-awards-2011/#comments
We're here, live from the IGF slash GDC Awards, and things are just getting underway. We promise laughs, tears, and maybe even some expletives. Join us after the break. Unless you're scared.